Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-10-13
Washington Letter.
Washington, D. G., Oct. 10,

/, To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:
To chronical the news of the past week
at the National Capital, would be but to
review the incidents attending the most
enthusiastic ovation ever rendered to an
individual outside of public life. by the
grateful residents and property owners
of city. The unpaved, unshaded streets,
dilapidated walks and buildings, and
vast expanse of vacant grounds, surface
sewages and the generally uninviting
appearance of the city and its surround
ings during the dark days of the re-
bcllion, and which continued until the
advent of Mr.. Shepherd as Governor of
the District of Columbia in 1871, will be
well remembered by all who may have
visited the National Capital during that
period. and the name of Boss Shep-
herd is almost as familiar rs that of the
city which owes to him more than to any
other man the right to the justly claimed
distinction, of being the finest city in
America. The worlds benefactors have
always been the worlds martyrs, and
Governor Shepherd has been no excep-
ton to the rule. Probably no man was
ever more roundly and universally
abused than was Mr.. Shepherd prior to
the time of his departure for Mexico a
few years since. Unlike most of his
predecessors, however, Mr.. Shepherd
has lived long enough to see the fruits of
his labors. AS the work of city inn
provements has been advanced from
year to year the people have awakened to
a realization of the fact that all that has
been accomplished has been due to the
foresight and determination of Mr..
Shepherd and To day he may be said to
be the most poplar man in Washington.
When it became known that he con-
templated visiting the city, meeting
of the citizens was called, and fund
of ten thousand dollars subscribed to
defray the expense of the demon
stration in honor of hi return. Never
in the history Of the city have the COM
mon people crowded the streets to sue b
extent as they did upon thursday even
ing From the Capitol to the Treasury
Department the great Sc q of humanity
surgcd ceaSeiessly for hours while the
entire city was ablaze with fire works
A novel feature of the demonstration
consisted in the parade of the wheel
men which formed the advance guard
of the procession. More than six hun
dred bicycles and tricyc!es were in line,
each rider carrying four Chineselanterns
of various colors and brilliancy, which
combined to form a spectacle truly ORR
entail in its spIendor.
During the Presidents and Mrs.
Cieveland's absence on their tour now
in progress through the West and South,
the White House is undergoing its an
nual renovation to place it in condition
Tor Inc gayltieS OF the coming winter.
The house cleaning of the First Lady
ia the Land" is thus admirably man
aged, and how many Of our housewives
wish with envy that their task was as
easily accomplished!
Last week our citizens were favored
with reminder Of the Days of 1776'
in the visit of the Putnam Phalanx OF
of Hartford, Conn, who in their Con-
tiueDtsl uniforms formed very pictur-
cirque appearance. They were with US
several days visiting all the principal
points of interest. including on We'd
nesday last a pilgrimage TO Mt. Vernon
the home and last resting place of our
illustrious fore-father and revolutionary
nero, General Washington.